Chapter 3
Before Colton could calm or warn her, she made her way through the front screen door to the expansive wrap-around porch. She found Jax sitting smack dab in front of the biggest behemoth of an animal with dark, serious eyes pinned on her tiny nephew. She rushed to him, putting herself between the beast and Jax. Now she was the focus of the dark eyed, pointy eared, gray monstrosity of a dog, so steely it almost made her wet her pants.
She looked adorable and maybe a little ridiculous in his oversized sweatpants and shirt. She guarded Jax, one arm straight out in front of her, legs planted firmly but apart, kitten in her other hand, raised above her head. Baby boys and kittens were not on the appetizer menu today if she could help it.
Colton had a few endearing thoughts, followed by a few that were naughty, before her words brought him back to present.
“What the hell is it? What do I do? What do I do?” she hollered as if in battle.
She heard the cries of the tiny kitten again, only in unison this time. She scanned the expansive porch that reached either end of the house, each end flanked with a porch swing. Then she saw the dark stained rocking chairs with a basket placed between them, tucked under a small table. More kittens. Megan ducked her head, confusion crossing her furrowed brow, and saw Nancy in the basket of kittens, nuzzling them. Duke was perched to her far right, then a black and white dog, and finally Rambo.
Her gaze reverted to the black and white dog. It wasn’t a dog at all – it was a one-horned goat with crossed eyes. “Baaaaahaha.”
Relaxing in her battle stance, she eased back from her oversized nemesis and looked to Colton with a wide-eyed what the hell
look. At second glance, she could see each of the animals had the same tilt to their head and the same what the hell
look pinned on her.
“So you met big boy Boss! He’s our gentle giant.”
“Boss? Of course…Boss.” Her tone full of snark. Anything that big deserved the name Boss.
Colton lined the bowls up against the front porch railing in order of size, largest to smallest. His pets sat patiently, waiting for the magic words. When he said eat up
, they each made their way to their designated bowl, also in size order. The largest bowl was vacant, and big ol’ Boss was still front and center, watching her every move.
“What’s going on here? Wha-what is he doing? Why isn’t he eating?” She stuttered.
“He hasn’t been told to yet.” Colton walked to where Megan was standing and made a quick hand gesture that prompted Boss to find his vacant bowl and eat.
“Hasn’t been…he’s deaf? Of course you have a deaf dog. What’s the goat’s story?” She was really intrigued now. This guy was a real friggin’ Dr. Doolittle. The row of furry, feathery fannies was now complete.
“Oh, Doug? Their stories are similar to each other’s. I take the animals nobody wants. The animals they think are damaged.”
“Wow, that’s very admirable.” As if he couldn’t get any more perfect, he nailed her with his own heart-wrenching story.
“I don’t know about admirable. I just understand them. I grew up in the system, the kid nobody wanted, so I give them all a home.”
And there it was, the final nail in the coffin where her resistance to his charm and sexy rested. This man was incredible. Tears welled, and her heart pinched at the thought of a lonely orphaned Colton. How could anyone not want him? He wasn’t like anyone she had ever met. She wanted him, even if she couldn’t have him.
He motioned for her to take a seat on one of the rocking chairs, which she did. He set down the plate of cookies from the dining room table, giving one to Jax with her permission. Then he pulled two tiny bottles from his pocket and handed one to her, keeping one for himself. She gave him a puzzled look before watching him pick up a kitten and begin to feed it. Picking up on his cue, she followed his lead and fed her little furry friend.
They sat long beyond the kitten feeding, sharing stories and enjoying each other’s company. Colton filled her in on Boss being their deaf, gentle giant that had seizures, and Doug the goat’s special affections for his partner in crime, Nancy. Boss had found the kittens on their hike, no more than a few hours old.
They made sandwiches and talked about her limited experience with animals. It began and ended with purse-sized pups that her friends toted around as accessories. Amused by his brood, she joked that they were like a really small gang, all looking out for and taking care of each other. She loved their closeness, despite their varying differences. She had a feeling that was because of him.
The conversation was light and pleasant before it turned a bit more serious, having shared his every detail from his orphan status to orphaned, animal whisperer status. He wanted to know more about Megan. After hours of conversation, he knew very little about her.
“So, tell me your story, Megan Johnson. We’ve been talking about me all night. I’m starting to think you like me,” he teased with a wiggle of his brow.
Her relaxed body language tensed at his question. She didn’t like talking about her past, or the story she wanted people to know, anyway. She also didn’t like that he was on to something – she did
like him. But, both issues needed to remain vague for everyone’s sake.
“Well, you know where I live,” she joked, nodding to her house in the distance.
She winked at him, remembering how they met. “You also know I own Blooming Grounds, the perfect mix of florist and barista!”
“I’m from New York, originally. My sister passed away in a car accident with her husband last year. That’s how that sweet boy ended up with me.” She paused, carefully considering how much or little to tell so as not to raise suspicion. “I wanted a different life for us, a fresh start, simplicity. We ended up here in McKenzie Ridge.”
She stalled before saying, “A friend told me about it. It sounded perfect, the simple life I was looking for.”
She smiled, remembering her sister and the life she had before devastation struck. Her life took a dramatic turn the night her sister had left them. Her heart ached, thinking about Jax growing up without her and all that Lydia was missing.
“I’m sorry. It sounds like you two were close,” he said with a soft voice, sympathetic.
She smiled and snorted a laugh. “We were. Very close. I see her in him every day, so I suppose it could be worse. I could have none of her at all.”
“You’re very good with him, and he obviously adores you.”
“Oh, it wasn’t always like this. I didn’t grow up around kids, never babysat. One day, without warning, I have this baby, who I’m putting diapers on backward and learning the hard way that babies don’t drink chocolate milk. Oh, and with boys, you better get that new diaper over him fast and hope there isn’t a draft.” She laughed again at how far they had really come. She had so many nights flooded in tears trying to figure out how to be a mom overnight and without a single person to call for help.
“Now who’s admirable?” he replied, sincerity in every word.
“I don’t know about admirable,” she said, turning his words back on him. “It’s all worth it. He’s worth it.”
“Well, I think you’re both pretty terrific,” he said, looking down at the small boy sleeping in his arms.
They sat for a while longer, watching the sun set behind the hills and peaks in the west. Animals were scattered about their feet, with the exception of Rambo, who kept watch over the compound. Colton appreciated her opening up to him but sensed a sadness about her beyond the loss of her sister. There was a mystery there, and he wanted to solve it and find his way into her heart. She was special.